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Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Canon Vs HP: Which Printer Is Best?
Odds are if you're seeking a printer, two brands ubiquitous with these devices have caught your attention: Canon and HP. Deciding between Canon versus HP can feel a little tricky because both brands are well known for quality prints and fast speeds. You have your pick of great options like the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e, an all-in-one printer that has a detailed print resolution as well as the Canon ImageClass MF284DW, a duplex printer built for businesses to print your documents quickly. Many Canon printers are great at printing detailed color photos, whereas HP often wins in terms of ... More print speed. Here's the thing: Neither Canon nor HP is ever going to earn an outright best printer victory. That's because Canon and HP printers excel at different tasks. When deciding between Canon versus HP, you should take a few features into account, namely printer type, print quality and price. After extensive research and testing many different printer options, here's how you can choose between Canon versus HP. HP Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Type: Inkjet | Features: Print/Copy/Scan/Fax | Wireless: Yes | Size: 13.5 x 17.3 x 11 inches | Color print: Yes | Tray capacity: 250 sheets | Ink: 4 cartridges Best for: Skip if: Canon Pages per minute: 35 | Print resolution: 600 x 600 DPI Display: LCD | Weight: 27.6 pounds | Features: Copy, scan Laser printers use an electrostatic charge and toner powder to transfer text and images on paper. A laser beam 'writes' an image on a photosensitive drum, which then attracts toner powder toward itself. The toner is then rapidly transferred to a sheet of paper and permanently fixed there thanks to heat and pressure. While some laser printers can print in color, they're not great at it—not compared to inkjet printers, anyway. What laser printers are great at is rapidly churning out black-and-white documents and graphics. Some printers, like the Canon ImageClass MF284DW and the HP Laserjet Pro MFP 3101SDW, can print up to 35 pages per minute and offer wireless printing. Amazon What it comes down to is the resolution, also known as Dots Per Inch (DPI); the higher the resolution, the better image quality you're going to get. While both of the aforementioned printers print quickly, the resolution is another story: The HP LaserJet Pro MFP 3101SDW hits 1,200 DPI, while the Canon ImageClass MF284DW can only go as high as 600 DPI. You won't see any difference in text-heavy documents, but again, with images, expect to notice some degradation. Inkjet printers work by precisely propelling tiny ink droplets onto paper in patterns that form images, graphics and text. They use print heads with hundreds (or in some cases even thousands) of microscopic nozzles to spray out their ink, creating a high level of accuracy and detail. Amazon Inkjet printers are much slower than laser printers; don't expect to dash out the door two minutes before catching the bus with your completed graphics project. The Canon PIXMA TS8820 Printer, as an example, can only print up to 15 pages per minute, 20 pages less than the 35 pages per minute the Canon ImageClass MF284DW outputs. Another example is the HP Envy 6155E Color Inkjet Printer: It can print 10 pages per minute. But one of our other picks, the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e, nabbed our pick as the best home printer available because of its speedy and high quality print jobs. Note that those pages per minute numbers are for monochrome (black, e.g.) text prints; the color print speeds are slower still, with the Canon achieving just 10 prints per minute in color and the HP a mere seven. Inkjet printers also tend to be smaller in size, a welcome factor when you have limited office space. While print speeds are important, a high print quality can make or break any art project. Inkjet printers are great for printing photos and other colorful, detailed media. While the DPI is lower on laser printers, you can expect a higher resolution on inkjets. Both the Canon PIXMA TS8820 Printer mentioned above have a DPI of up to 4,800 and the HP Envy 6155E Inkjet Printer hit a DPI of 4,800, making them great for detailed graphics and school art projects. Keep in mind that excellent resolution is only relevant for images printed at best quality, but for text documents, there's no need for such high quality (and extensive ink use) anyway. Amazon You don't have to spend a fortune to get a high print quality, either. The HP Envy Inspire 7955e, a printer that can also scan and copy, costs around $200 and achieves that same 4,800 x 1,200 DPI in color and 1,200 x 1,200 DPI in black-and-white. The same goes for the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e, which also uses a 4,800 x 1,200 DPI. The Canon Pixma G6020, an all-in-one printer, prints both color and black and white at 4,800 by 1,200 DPI and costs around $260. So, does Canon edge out HP there? Sure, but remember that black and white printing really doesn't need that level of detail—you won't be able to tell your text is even crisper than it was with your old printer. While all-in-all things are pretty close here, if you're primarily printing photos, then Roxy Garrity, chief communications officer with CareYaya Health Technologies, recommends opting for a Canon printer. 'Canon is a master of photo printing and color reproduction, making it the top pick for creative professionals and businesses focused on visual marketing materials,' Garrity says. For photographers, Canon's Pixma PRO-200S is a dedicated photo printer that achieves 4,800 by 2,400 DPI and costs a little more at around $500. Yes, you'll pay more than if you were going with an all-in-one printer like Canon's Megatank GX6120. But keep in mind that this particular all-in one device maxes out at 1,200 by 1,200 DPI. That's mostly the norm for most all-in-one devices, but this one costs an eye-watering $650 before a sale. That's something to keep in mind: An all-in-one printer can copy, fax, scan, print and more, which may suit your needs more than a dedicated photo printer, but it may come at the cost of the DPI. HP doesn't offer a dedicated photo printer for photographers and artists. Rather, the company offers all-in-one devices. They can scan, copy and fax, and they're also built for regular and photo printing. The HP Envy 6155E will do the job just fine, but also consider the HP OfficeJet 250, another all-in-one printer with a 4,800 by 1,200 DPI. The HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e is another good option; during testing, we felt the photo print jobs kept colors accurate and vivid. Photographers should consider the Canon if they want a dedicated photo printer, but for business users who also print photos, HP is better for business owners who also need to print photos. Both companies offer several printers priced well under $100, and both offer several priced well into the hundreds of dollars. When it comes to price, again it's pretty much a draw between Canon and HP. But there's one catch: Based on our research and testing, HP tends to be a bit pricier in terms of ink, so your long-term costs may add up if you go with HP and you do a lot of printing, especially in color. There's also the question of ink subscriptions; both companies offer some kind of service. HP has its HP Instant Ink subscription, a service that detects when you're low on ink and automatically orders it for you starting at $1.49 per month. Canon, on the other hand, offers two tiers, the Canon Auto Replenishment Service and the Canon PIXMA Print Plan. The former ships new ink catridges only when you run low, so depends on how quickly you use up your ink as well as the cost of a catridge. The PIXMA Print Plan focuses on print volumes and ships accordingly, and starts at $4 per month. It's worth noting that the Auto Replenishment Service is built for low to moderate printing and the PIXMA Print Plan is designed with business owners in mind. Still, if your printing needs are centered on text documents, Garrity advises that you turn to HP, saying 'HP offers better value for high-volume text printing.' As long as you pick the right printer type for your needs, you're not going to go wrong with Canon or HP; both brands make good hardware that's generally reliable and demonstrates consistent print quality. That said, Canon is a bit faster and better at printing photos and graphics, and HP ink costs do tend to be higher, especially if you're not using the HP Instant Ink subscription service. If you plan to use ink subscriptions, too, that may sway HP in your favor as its generally more affordable for casual print jobs. If you're all about text-heavy documents, as is the case in many offices, HP is the way to go, as its toner is expensive up front but churns out hundreds of pages before needing a refill. Garrity sums things up well when she says: 'The choice typically comes down to your single most significant use case—Canon for image quality and brand ecosystem integration, HP for low-cost business document printing.' The team of tech editors and writers at Forbes Vetted have been testing, researching and reviewing electronics for years, including everything from printers to TVs for bright rooms to the best drones and so much more. What Is A Good Page Per Minute Print Speed? A good page per minute (PPM) print speed depends heavily on your own needs, but generally, for household use, speeds from 10 to 30 PPM are sufficient. For small offices or most schools, 20 to 40 PPM is likely sufficient, while businesses, large educational organizations, and other groups with substantial monthly print volumes may require 50 to 75 PPM or even higher. Why Is Printer Ink So Expensive? There are two reasons: First, ink cartridges contain microchips and intricate engineering to ensure proper function and to help monitor ink levels. Second, it's on the ink where companies like Canon and HP make their money; they sell printers at relatively low cost, but the ink at a premium. Do Printers Use A Lot Of Electricity? Printers don't typically use a large amount of electricity, but it varies depending on the type of printer, how it's used and how often. Laser printers generally consume more power than inkjet printers, but they are much faster.
Forbes
25-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Best All-In-One Printers, According To Extensive Testing
All-in-one printers, as the name suggests, do more than just print. They can scan, copy and fax documents big and small, both for home offices and small business. If you're looking for a do-it-all machine, we can help. After extensive research and testing, we found that the best all-in-one printer is the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e thanks to its versatile design, fast output and the ability to automatically print—and scan—double-sided. If the long-term cost of maintaining your next all-in-one printer is a priority, the budget-friendly Brother INKvestment Tank MFC-J4335DW should be your go-to choice. Whether you're seeking a speedy double-sided printer or a monochrome device like the HP LaserJet Tank MFP2604sdw, the best all-in-one printers can help streamline your office needs. And, if you're looking for one specifically for a home office, check out our guide to the best home printer, too. Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Type: Inkjet | Features: Print/Copy/Scan/Fax | Color: Yes | Two-sided printing: Automatic | Tray capacity: 250 sheets | Wireless: Yes Best for: Skip if: The HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e is easy to set up and, based on our testing, offers speedy print speeds. For the average single-sided six-page job, the printer took around 35.6 seconds. It has a slew of features, from copying, scanning and mobile connectivity via the HP Smart App. The app is available for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS, so you can print and scan so long as you have an internet connection. The HP Smart App comes in handy for another reason: It can connect to Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and HP's Scan Cloud, so you can scan, upload and send documents hassle-free. Our tester noted that the 2.7-inch touchscreen display felt a little claustrophobic. Those with larger hands may prefer a device with a larger touchscreen so you're not accidentally pressing buttons. The tank uses a set of four EvoMore cartridges: black, cyan, magenta and yellow. If you find yourself needing to replace all four, expect to pay $239. They deliver 2,500 monochrome pages and 1,650 color pages, so they last a while before it's time to invest in more. But chances are slim they'll run out simultaneously, and if you just need one, you can get a black cartridge for around $80 and a color for around $53. You can opt into the HP Instant Ink subscription which automatically orders ink for you when you're low. It starts at $1.49 per month, though we recommend against it unless you plan to print heaps of paper. Our tester also noted that every so often, the printed pages came out in a different order than printed. If you're printing massive jobs, that may be an issue. But if most of your print jobs are 10 pages or less, it's something to keep in mind before you staple them together. We also named this printer our best home printer after rigorous testing. Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Type: Inkjet | Features: Print/copy/scan/mobile fax | Color: Yes | Two-sided printing: Automatic | Tray Capacity: 60 sheets | Wireless: Yes Best for: Skip if: For a supposedly 'no frills' printer, the HP Envy 6555E comes with printing, scanning, copying and faxing, so it can do everything that the HP OfficeJet 9125e can. There are a few differences between the two models—and one of them is price. It usually costs around $160, but you can find it on sale for around $100 pretty frequently. As such, it nabs our budget moniker for this blend of features and cost. It's pretty large, which surprised our tester; still, compared to the other options on the market, it still has a lower profile and would fit nicely in a cramped office space. To get the cartridges installed correctly, 'you have to push upward instead of downward,' which our tester felt was confusing and prolonged the setup just a bit. Outside of that glitch, setup was straightforward. While it can complete the major tasks most printers on this list can, the price means there are some caveats to consider. For one, its print speed feels glacial. Our tester timed a 10-page double sided test, and it took 70 seconds for the first page to hit the paper tray and three minutes to complete the job. The tray capacity is also the smallest we tested, holding only 60 sheets. Still, if you're a student, for example, who only prints occasional papers, this printer is more than enough for your needs. But if you're a business owner or someone who's printing more than 10 pages per day, you may want to look elsewhere. Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Type: Inkjet | Features: Print/Copy/Scan/Fax | Color: Yes | Two-sided printing: Automatic | Tray capacity: 250 sheets | Wireless: Yes Best for: Skip if: The Brother MFCJ5855DW can print on documents up to 11 x 17 inches, a unique feature on our list that makes it useful for school projects or business fliers. On average, our testing showed this model can print up to 30 pages per minute, which is slightly faster compared to the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e. In addition to printing, scanning, copying and faxing, it has a USB-C port to print documents from a flash drive. It also has an Ethernet port so you can get a wired connection, though most will just use the dual-band wireless capabilities to set it up and print documents. It also gives you access to a host of cloud storage services, including Google Drive, OneDrive, Evernote, OneNote and more. This printer features a 3.5-inch color touchscreen with menu icons that can help you navigate it for commands, updates and more. It comes with a one-year supply of ink when you order it, too, and can print 3,000 monochrome pages and 1,500 color pages, which can last for months if you don't frequently print. As a heads up, it doesn't offer auto duplex scanning. Unfortunately, we've seen reports of internet connection issues, particularly with the Wi-Fi Direct feature. Thankfully, we didn't have this issue during our testing, but your mileage may vary. Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Type: Inkjet | Features: Print/Copy/Scan/Fax | Color: Yes | Two-sided printing: Automatic | Tray capacity: 250 sheets | Wireless: Yes Best for: Skip if: Most of the all-in-one printers on this list are laser printers. These kinds of printers can deliver sharper text and be more cost-efficient long-term since you don't have to worry about ink drying out. However, colors on inkjets tend to be more accurate and vivid compared to their laser counterparts, which may sway you toward an inkjet printer. If you plan to print a lot of color pages, the HP Smart Tank 7301 is our top pick for an inkjet all-in-one printer. Our tester felt the display was small and wasn't intended to be especially user friendly, but that's where the HP Smart app came in. The app made it easy for our tester to, 'initiate controls, diagnose issues and check printer levels.' Our tester also felt that, 'the ability to control all of its functions from your phone" made it specially user friendly. HP claims that the printer can print up to 15 pages per minute in black and 9 pages in color, though it was actually slightly faster during our testing. A ten-page color print job took our tester 57 seconds from start to finish, and our tester commented that it was, 'the fasted printer I've ever tested.' Our tester also noted that photo prints looked lovely and rich. The automatic document feeder is smaller and can only hold 35 pages. One of our tester's biggest gripes was the connectivity issues, too. When she had an internet outage, the printer disconnected and didn't automatically reconnect when service was restored. If you have spotty internet, be prepared to keep an eye on the printer's connection. Forbes Vetted Forbes Vetted ratings are based on thorough evaluations by our editorial team to help you choose the best products with confidence. Type: Laser | Features: Print/Copy/Scan | Color: No | Two-sided printing: Automatic | Tray capacity: 250 sheets | Wireless: Yes Best for: Skip if: Sometimes, you just don't need or care to print in color—and when it comes to monochrome printing, the HP LaserJet-Tank MFP 2604SDW, is a great economical option. It's easy to refill the tank with a hassle-free, mess-free design, but odds are you won't have to worry about that for some time since the tanks can last up to two years. During testing, our tester calculated we could get up to 5,000 pages from a single fill. Toner cartridges are $17 for 2,500 pages and $30 for 5,000 pages, making this one of the most affordable cost-per-page ratios we tested. We also noted that it can print up to 23 pages per minute, so while it's slower than our top pick, it's still pretty speedy. It has a small LCD display with even smaller buttons that we didn't find very useful during testing. For copying and scanning, we recommend using the accompanying HP Smart App to make changes before starting the job. And while it can scan both sides of a document, it's not automatic full-duplex; you need to scan the first side, feed it through, and then scan the flip side. Our editorial team consists of tech experts who live to research, test and write about all things digital. Seriously: Some staffers on our team, including executive editor Dave Johnson, have authored multiple books on the subject. We've also built a robust library of tech guides for building your home office, including the best laptops for working from home and the best modem-router combos. To find the best all-in-one printers, we narrowed our choices to the top, most reliable brands, including Canon, HP and more. From there, we reviewed real customer reviews and each printer's features. We took into account: Based on our testing and research, we found the HP OfficeJet Pro 9125E to be the best all-in-one printer. The printer is easy to set up and prints, scans and copies quickly via the HP Smart App. We also like that the HP Smart App connects to Google Drive, making it easy to scan, upload and send documents. Inkjet and laser printers both have their advantages and disadvantages. 'Inkjet printers are cheaper upfront and excel at color printing, but ink can dry out and be costly. Laser printers cost more initially but are faster, more efficient for high-volume printing and deliver sharper text,' says John Yensen, President of Revotech Networks Ltd. If you plan on printing in color or only need a printer for occasional use, consider an inkjet model like the Canon MegaTank GX7120, otherwise a laser printer is more suitable for high-volume printing and black and white documents. While a dedicated printer may not be able to scan or copy, there are some disadvantages to all-in-one printers you should be aware of. 'Most all-in-one printers lack special features you might find in a standalone printer. You miss out on options like high resolution photo printing and high quality scans,' says Shelby Nicholas, owner of SNF Web Design Services. She also says that all-in-one printers tend to be high maintenance and costly to fix, and because so many functions are packed into one machine, they tend to be lower quality than their standalone counterparts.
